1. Field of the Related Art
The present invention relates to a control system setting apparatus for setting a control system constituted of a PLC (programmable logic controller, or programmable controller), other components for control, and a network. The present invention also relates to a setting program for use in the control system setting apparatus and a method for setting the control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network of a control system is formed of a plurality of layers, and a large number of kinds of networks are used. Depending on the kinds of networks, a form of a network (master and slave type, pier to pier type, etc.), the number of connected components, communication protocol, a communication command system and the like are different among networks, and hence an appropriate kind of network is selected according to application of a network.
When a control system is constituted and the activation thereof started, there is a need for selecting the kind of network to be used in the control system as well as appropriate components for constituting the control system, to set a parameter appropriate for each component. There may also be a need for performing the same operation in changing or maintaining the control system.
In setting a component constituting the control system, a computer having installed a program for setting (setting program) is used, and in particular, a small-sized or portable computer, such as a personal computer, is used.
One example of the setting program is “DeviceNet Configurator”, manufactured by OMRON Corporation. “DeviceNet Configurator” can be used only when the kind of network is a component network. The Non Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-53763 is the operator manual of the program.
The operation manual of this software is “DeviceNet Configurator Ver. 2 Operation Manual” by OMRON Corporation, as of Sep. 22, 2004. This manual can be downloaded from the Internet URL: http://www.fa.omron.co.jp/lineup/plc/29/81/83/index1.html, shown in the column of the “Non Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-53763”.
In Chapter 3 “Basic Operation”, and Chapter 4 “Editing of Device Parameter” of this operation manual, the following description is made.
A main window displayed on a display screen of a computer having installed therein a setting program is constituted of a hardware list and a network constitution window. In the hardware list shown are components having installed an EDS (Electronic Data Sheet) file therein. The EDS file is a text file made by editing parameter information on a device to be used in a device network (DeviceNet), based on application of DeviceNet.
Firstly, a straight-line figure, showing a network communication route, is displayed on the network constitution window. A device in the hardware list is then dragged and dropped into the network constitution window so that the device is added to the network. In the network constitution window, an icon represents a component. When the icon representing the device is selected and then the “edit” menu selected, a window of editing a device parameter is displayed where the parameter can be edited.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-53763 describes a computer for setting a programmable controller. Herein, an assumption is made to allow the computer to communicate with the programmable controller through any one of plural kinds of networks.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-53763 describes the following: Routes to be connected are listed on the display screen of the computer, and in the image selection section, a list of image names is displayed. The image name here may for example be “Ethernet board communication, Access another channel via Ethernet”, and shows a communication route from the computer to the programmable controller. Although the kind of network in this example is Ethernet, selecting a communication route via another kind of network is also possible.
Once one image name is selected, an image diagram corresponding to the image name selected is displayed at the image display section. The image diagram consists of the computer, the programmable controller to communicate with, and another programmable controller and a network communication route to serve as communication routes.
(Non Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-53763) The operation manual of this software is “DeviceNet Configurator Ver. 2 Operation Manual” by OMRON Corporation, as of Sep. 22, 2004. This manual can be downloaded from the Internet URL: http://www.fa.omron.co.jp/lineup/plc/29/81/83/index1.html.